Lock-case



(No Modem C. H. BEEBE. LOCK CASE.

No. 446,246. Patented Peb. l0, 14891 @mi-#Mmes 5140014150@ UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BEEBE, OF NORVICH, CONNECTICUT.

LOC K-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,246, dated February 10, 1891.

Application filed .Tuly 2, 1890. Serial No. 357,572. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BEEBE, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Norwich,in the county of Newllondon and State of Connecticut, have made a new and useful Improvement in Lock-Cases, which improvement is fully set forth and described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings.

This invention is in separable lock-cases,

` and has for its immediate object such improvement as will facilitate the making and assembling of such cases without increasing their cost.

In the annexed drawings I have illustrated a lock-case embodying said invention, Figure l being a perspective view of the same as it appears with its several sections assembled. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the front plate and the connected lower plate or main section of the case, and Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the top plate. Fig. et is a view of said case from the left hand of Fig. l with the front plate removed.

The case here illustrated is made of sheet metal suitably blanked out and swaged into shape; but the construction admits of its beingproducedl in cast metal, and I therefore do not wish to confine my invention to sheet metal alone.

The letter a in the drawings denotes a front plate of ordinary form, perforated at two or more points, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, to receive corresponding lugs on the principal case-section-b, which latter I will refer to as the lower plate. The rear end of said lower plate is upturned at a right angle, is of a height equal to the thickness of the complete lock-case, and is notched in its upper or exposed edge, as shown at b', Fig. 2. The sides b2 and b3 of the lower plate are upturned, but are somewhat less than the full height of the case, forming, as here shown, about one-half of the sides of said case. The upper plate c is formed with downwardly-projecting wings c c2, that unite with the described npturned wings on the lower plate and complete the sides of the case when the parts are brought together. On the rear end of plate c is a projecting lip c3 of suitable size and shape to enter the notch b', already referred to, the office of said notch and lip being to hold the rear ends of the upper and lower plates against undue displacement on each other.

It will now be obvious that if two plates of the above description were brought together their rear ends would be interlocked; but the opposite or front end of the upper plate, unless very snugly fitted against the front plate a., could move laterally, and might slip off from the thin edges of wings b2 b3, and to prevent such disasterI provide on the upper plate two or more wings c3 c4, that form an essential feature of my invention. These wings c3 c4 are bent downward from the front edge of the upper plate near its corners, and are of such length that when the two case-sections are assembled they (the wings) reach and abut the lower plate In The said wings are set in from the sides of the case a distance equal to the thickness of the sheet metal,

(see Fig. 4,) so that they may fit snugly between the two side wings b2 b3 of the lower plate, and thus prevent the lateral displacement of either plate relatively to its companion. The two plates are-held together by a screw d, tapped into the lower plate.

It should be noted that the wings c3 c4 serve not only to prevent lateral displacement of the plates, but they also serve as bridges or posts to prevent the clamping or binding of the bolts when screw d is turned home.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In combination with the front plate and lower plate of a lock-case, a cap-plate having inturned wings c3 o4 at its front end adapted to enterbetween the sides and abut the bottom of said lower plate, substantially as described, and for the object stated.

2. In combination with the front plate of a lock, a lower plate attached thereto, having y,

tothe thickness of the look and with sides of less height, as set forth, in combination with a cap-plate having its rear end :formed With a lip to enter said notch, its sides bent downwardly to engage the sides of the lower plate and having its front end formed with wings c3 c4, that enter between the sides and abut the bottom ot' the lower plate, all suh- Stautiallyas described, and for the objects stated.

CHARLES H. BEEBE.

NVitnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, ALONZO M. LUTHER. 

